For the Syracuse Orange to have a successful 2025-26 campaign, there’s plenty that will need to be improved compared to last year. Arguably, defense is the most critical area the Orange have to perform
better at.
The numbers last year were anything but great. Syracuse ended the year ranked outside the top-150 in adjusted defensive efficiency per KenPom, good for just 14th out of 18th in the ACC. Across the board, the counting stats weren’t any better, but with an almost entirely new roster and a substantial change in personnel, there are promising signs.
Defensively, Syracuse didn’t really stand out in any one area outside of defensive rebounding, where it ranked 70th per NCAA stats. It couldn’t stop opponents in general, who shot over 46% from the field (No. 311 in the NCAA) and over 34% from three (241st in the NCAA) in 2024-25. The Orange could neither block shots (2.5 per game, tied for 293rd) nor force turnovers (329th in forced turnovers, tied for 340th in steals per game). Syracuse ended last year ranked 316th in scoring defense.
Those numbers are why many in the media say one of the key questions heading into the new season is simple: can the Orange defend… at least well enough?
One of the biggest changes schematically will be at center. Out goes Eddie Lampkin Jr. and Naheem McLeod, and in comes former UCLA center William Kyle III, former Georgia Tech center Ibrahim Souare and freshman center Tiefing Diawara.
Last year, Syracuse was mainly forced to have the center drop in pick-and-roll coverage, but that would leave too much space for the opposing guard to attack. If ‘Cuse did switch, someone like Lampkin would get blown right by. It also took Syracuse’s big out of the paint with little personnel behind to provide the extra rim protection.
At six-foot-nine and 230 lbs., Kyle is smaller than a traditional center but brings more speed and versatility, being able to guard multiple positions, but still be covered with more size and length behind him. He also projects to still have some shot blocking to the table. He is easily one of the biggest x-factors heading into the new year, especially his fit alongside Donnie Freeman.
The other big key for Syracuse is general versatility, something the team never quite had last year with too many players who could be picked on. There’s a clear theme with all the additions: more height at every position. Take a look at these numbers:
- PG: Naithan George (six-three), Kiyan Anthony (six-five), Luke Fennell (six-six), Bryce Zephir (six-four)
- SG: J.J. Starling (six-four), Nate Kingz (six-five), Aaron Womack (six-six)
- SF: Tyler Betsey (six-eight)
- PF: Donnie Freeman (six-nine), Sadiq White Jr. (six-nine)
- C: William Kyle III (six-nine), Ibrahim Souare (six-nine), Tiefing Diawara (seven-foot)
All those measurements are according to the official Syracuse roster. Outside Diawara, every other player is between six-three and six-nine. Syracuse might struggle against a bigger, post-centric opposing center. In exchange, it appears to be trading some inside twos for better perimeter play and shutting down the other four positions. But with Souare and (maybe?) Diawara, there’s at least enough different bodies to try out based on the opponent’s frontcourt.
The forward spots are definitely the most intriguing positions for Syracuse in terms of projecting its defense. Betsey, a former Cincinnati forward, is the only player on the Orange with true size on the wing. Whether starting or playing a high-usage role off the bench, there is a clear spot in the rotation for him. As an added bonus, Freeman is particularly high on Betsey and specifically his two-way skill set.
But when Betsey isn’t in the lineup, Syracuse will likely need to go for a three-guard look. At six-five and 190 lbs., maybe Kingz can get away playing some three alongside George and Starling, or some other pairing among Syracuse’s options of bigger point guards and combo twos.
With the way the rotation projects, White Jr. would also need to step in to a day-one role primarily as the backup four, whether next to one of the other centers or alongside Freeman if he plays at the five. Given the spacing concerns, it probably doesn’t make sense to play combos like Kyle and Souare or Diawara. If needed, Syracuse could also go “small” and play a combination of Betsey/White/Freeman at the four and the five alongside three guards.
Speaking of the guards, perimeter defense has to be better there for the Orange. Part of it will be improved by the personnel having more versatility especially in the frontcourt, but among the six major candidates (George, Anthony, Fennell, Starling, Kingz and Womack), can they do enough s a collective in stopping the creators and playmakers they will face.
In general, they’ll have adequate or better size playing against other ones, but might struggle versus bigger combo guards and traditional wings. As fans have seen, Starling has notably been a subpar defender and needs to at least be serviceable there. Among those six aforementioned guards, three will be freshman.
One underrated thing to consider heading into 2025-26: if Syracuse’s offense is better (ranked No. 103 adjusted offensive efficiency per KenPom last year), you could argue that might also help the defense.
If Starling plays next to George, that suddenly helps the former not have to always be the lead creator, maybe giving more energy for Starling to exert on the defensive side. More makes means Syracuse can set its defense in the half-court, in turn providing more chances for steals and less easier looks in transition. If Syracuse’s guard rotation can steady the offense consistently, maybe Syracuse can go with a bigger frontcourt and sacrifice some spacing for more rebounding and size around the basket.
Syracuse will start 2025-26 ranked No. 49 in adjusted offense efficiency according to KenPom, an improvement of over 50 spots compared to last year. If the Orange’s offense truly is that good, then the defense just needs to be at least solid at the end of the day.
‘Cuse currently ranks exactly No. 100 in adjusted defensive efficiency per KenPom, which is 17th out of 18th among the ACC. For the Orange to get back in the NCAA Tournament, there is going to need to be substantial strides in that area of the floor.
